Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-11-22
A HEALTHY sWREr
Sugar That VIII Harm Nobody.

From the Saturday Review.
Chemists seem to be persons who most
thoroughly appreciate Lord Palmerstons do
nestle philosophy that 'tdirt is only matter
in the wrong place" A few years ago gas
tar was considered the very essence of dirt,
and YVES daubed on the walls and palings of
orchards to prevent mischievous boys climb
ing over them, on the stems of trees to keep
cattle off them, and was poured down sinks
and drains to poison Iats or drive them away
| in disgust. But of late the chemists, who
| have always been the real magieians, have
converted this evil-smelling, sticky debris of
| the manufacture of coal-gas into almost in
Vulnerable wonderful and exquisite colors,
perfumes, condiments and drugs, which not
only counterfeit, but often outrlyal the
choicest products of nature. Some of the
| condiments and medicines are among the
greatest surprises of the present moment,
| and much interest has been excited in the
minds of many persons by the reference to
one of them, known by the name of saccha-
rine, by Sir Henry Roscoe in his recent pres
| idential address to the British association at
Manchester. Saccharine is not mere chem
ical curiosity, but Is an article OF commerce,
| though at present it is a somewhat expensive
one, but it will no doubt soon become cheap
and plentiful if large demand arises for it.
Saccharine is white crystalline powder,
very like fnely-powdered sugar, and possess
es three hundred times the sweetening power
| of cane sugar. It is not food like sugar
nor drug like glycerine, but simple sweet
ening condiment, which passes through the
| human system unchanged, and without, as
| far as has yet been ascertained, producing
| any sensations except that of sweetness to
i the palate and without evil consequences of
| any description whatever, even when given
| in daily doses which are equivalent ia sweet
| ening power to three pounds of cane sugar.
/ of hota
/ lie benzoyl sulphonic imide; and in addition
| to its havoring qualities antiseptic properties
| are claimed for it, SO that it has no chemical
afinities to the sugars or carbohydrates, and
osnnot be broken up by the organisms which
| produce fermentation; hence the possibilities
of its use for various domestic purposes can
not we'll be exaggerated. 1t will also become
a valuable adjunct to the druggist in the
| preparation of some medicines. and to the
nurse in the preparation of foods for the
| sick; while it will be an Important adjunct
| to the physician IN the treatment OF obesity
and diabetes.
| The sugar of fruits is, however, in state
| for Immediate assimilation; but cane sugar,
which has SO largely superseded fruit sugar
in our diet on account of its greater sweet
ness, has to undergo preparatory changes IN
the system before it can be assimilated, and
| the imperfection OF failure OF these changes
constitutes series of diseases, such as indi-
| pestion, acidity, govt and rheumatism, which
| are among the chief ills that human flesh is
| heir to- It is only medical men who are ia
miliar with this class of ailments who can
fully appreciate the advantages which are
| likely to result from the discovery of a con-
| diment which shall satisfy the natural era
| wing for sweetness without the evil results
| which have hitherto attended its qualification
/ by cane sugar.
| This new coal-tar product saccharine, un-
| fortunately for those who spend their time
| in seeking out new and f'intense' sensations,
and who may be eagerly looking forward to
| the pleasure of multiplying their taste for
| sweets three-hundredfold, is only slightly
| soluble in water, and when tasted in the pure
state is so potent as to deaden the sensibilty
| of the tongue by it's intensity, as bright light
| deadens the sensibility of the optic nerve, so
| that it does not at present promise to add
| much to the joys of childhood, English
| school girls or to American young ladies. In
| this respect it resembles vanilla, another re-
Gently discovered derivative of coal-tar,
which in a well diluted state is superseding
| the natural vanilla a havoring material,
but which at first was nearly stranded by
| being used in too concentrated form. Sac
charine is, however, soluble in dilute solu-
lions of carbonate of soda, and it has been
made into lozenges with this substance,
which allows of its being used for many do
nestle purposes, such as sweetening tea Zone
grain of saccharine being sufficient for a cup
Of teal, and of being carried in the hit of
soldiers ana travellers as nlSnIy CoucSuCra-
| ted substitute for sugar. It is also soluble
in alcohol and glycerine, and in this shape it
will be highly acceptable to medical men,
and possibly to the manufacturers of wines
artificial wines we mean of the gooseberry
| champagne description. The teetotaller will
| hail the substance with delight when he
| learns that it cannot be converted by fermen-
tation into poisonous liquors; and the house
wife will see in it infinite possibilities of
fulness and economy in its powers to preserve
as well as sweeten jams, ''sweets" and con-
dictionary, and not the least of it's advan-
tages the ease WITH which it can be kept I'M
der lock and key, and the small space it will
occupy in the store-room. It is obvious that
the applications of this new kind of condi-
ment are almost infinite, and we fear the re-
ports we receive of it are almost too good to
prove true Still when we remember that
chloroform was for some time after its dis
covery mere chemical curiosity, and that
glycerine was for long while a comparative
~ worthless product of the manufacture of
candies, and the valuable services they have
rendered to mankind, we may reasonably
look for some of the advantages claimed by
chemists for their new bantling, saccharine.